4 NEWS Issue 2 2026 Power Electronics Europe www.power-mag.com New record for European renewables in Q1 2026 Power generation from renewables reached a new record across Europe in the first quarter of this year. That was the key takeaway from energy intelligence provider Montel EnAppSys’ Q1 European Electricity Market Summary. Total renewable generation across the quarter totalled 384.9TWh, thanks to record solar generation, a recovery in wind generation and strong hydro power production. This also helped to mitigate the impacts of the Iranian conflict on wholesale power prices, as strong renewable production displaced gas-fired generation, lessening the effect of the price spikes observed in gas markets across the quarter. Solar outturn continued its steady climb, with capacity growth causing the quarterly generation total of 52.6TWh to be the highest solar outturn for any Q1 on record, 15% above the same period last year. The biggest contributor to the overall figure was wind, generating 173.7TWh across the quarter, a 22% rise on Q1 2025. Hydro totalled 128.6TWh, making a strong recovery from Q3 2025, during which low levels of rainfall caused hydro output to slump to 97.1TWh. By contrast, this winter has seen unusually high levels of rainfall, allowing for a replenishment of reservoirs and for hydro output to return to more usual levels. Despite being the highest quarterly total on record, the proportion of generation that came from renewables remained at 48.8%, below the equivalent percentage seen in previous quarters. This can be explained by cold weather conditions, which raised demand to the highest level seen since 2022. With Central and Eastern Europe most impacted, January saw temperatures 1-4°C colder than average, driving up total demand across the quarter to 829.3TWh, an increase of 1.4% versus the same period in 2025. Speaking about the report’s findings, Director at Montel EnAppSys, Jean-Paul Harreman said: “Weather will determine if further renewable records are broken, but continued solar growth is likely. Solar outturn for Q1 was high given the lack of daylight at this time of year; this shows that the capacity of solar across Europe continues to grow and will likely deliver huge volumes of electricity in the summer, which can be expected to exceed last year’s record breaking solar generation figures. “Demand is set to decline in Q2 as warmer temperatures arrive, but heatwaves could yet stress the European energy system. Should heatwaves come to pass in late Q2, or even a ‘Super El Niño’, as has been described by some observers, this could create a lot of stress on the system at a time in which stocks of gas are not only low, but more expensive to replenish as uncertainty around the Iranian conflict continues.” Q2 outlook The report also states that Q2 2026 is expected to be characterised by periods of massive surplus renewable generation, resulting in negative prices across Europe. This will also lead to the commercial curtailment of renewables and nuclear modulation during solar peak and high wind periods at nights and weekends. This will also lead to relatively high evening peak prices, driven by gas prices as renewables drop after solar peak and peaking plant comes online to meet demand. Together, these dynamics paint a complex picture: one in which record-low prices and recordhigh evening peaks may co-exist, underscoring the structural challenges facing Europe’s transition-era electricity system. Download the full report: Montel European electricity market summary Q1 2026.pdf https://montel.energy/about-us Stackpole Expands RMAN Aluminum Nitride Chip Resistors for High Power, Thermally Constrained Designs Rising power density in modern electronics is pushing traditional thick film chip resistors beyond their thermal limits. In applications where high-power dissipation, electrical isolation, and long-term stability must coexist, aluminum nitride (AlN)–based thick film chip resistors are becoming the preferred solution. Stackpole Electronics says its RMAN series utilises aluminum nitride substrates with thermal conductivity several times higher than standard alumina, enabling faster heat removal while maintaining electrical insulation. This allows higher usable power density, lower operating temperature, and improved stability in demanding environments. RMAN resistors are purpose-designed for applications where thermal performance directly affects electrical behaviour and reliability. Typical uses include snubber and gate resistors in IGBT, SiC, and GaN power modules; precharge and discharge circuits in industrial and EV drives; and current sensing
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